Cameras with multiple optical chains, e.g. camera modules, and thus camera lenses are beginning to be used. Such devices have advantages over single lens systems in size and weight for at least some applications.
In at least some such devices one or a set of camera modules may be used at a given time with one or more other camera modules going unused during a given period of time. Which camera module or modules is used at a given time may not be clear to a user of the camera and/or subject of an image. As a result, rather than looking at the lens of the camera module being used to capture an image, a subject of an image may look at the lens of an optical chain which is not being used to capture the subject's image at the time a photograph is being taken. While the outer lens of the optical chains of a camera maybe relatively close together, the difference between a user looking at the lens of the optical chain being used to capture the image or the lens of an optical chain not being used to capture the image can be noticeable in the captured image.
Thus the presence of multiple lenses in a camera with multiple camera modules, some of which may not be used at a given time, can make it difficult for a subject to know where to look when an image is being taken and different subjects in a photograph may look at different lenses based on confusion as to where to look at the time the photograph is taken.
While multiple lenses may create confusion as to where to look when a photograph is taken, it can also create confusion at other times as well. In some camera devices a user maybe provided an indication that one or more lenses are dirty, e.g., due to dust and/or other particles settling on them, and should be cleaned. Given that a camera device may include multiple lenses, it maybe difficult for a user to determine which of the multiple lenses needs to be cleaned and, in fact, the user may dirty a clean lens by trying to unnecessarily clean it.
In view of the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and/or apparatus which could help with providing an indication with regard to at least one of where to look during the taking of a photograph or which lens should receive a user's attention would be desirable. In particular there is a need for methods and apparatus for providing a subject of a camera device an indication as to where to look during the taking of a photograph. There is also a need for providing information to a user of the camera as to which lens of the camera needs the user's attention, e.g., when cleaning of a lens is required. Addressing at least one of the above noted problems would be desirable but it would be even better if in some but not necessarily all systems some of the hardware used to provide information about a dirty lens could also be used to provide an indicator as to where a subject of a camera should look during a photograph.